Delhi gharana explained

The Delhi or Dilli Gharana, is a tabla traditional playing style, "regarded by many as the fountainhead of all the tabla gharanas" and known for being the first and oldest gharana playing style of tabla. It also is one of the six most common styles of playing of the Hindustani tabla.^{[1] [2] [3]}

This tradition was founded by Sidhar Khan Dhadi in the early 18th century. The tradition is regarded for establishing a distinction from pakhawaj repertoire, do ungliyon ka baaj (two-finger style), and contributing improvisation conventions like peshkar and qayada.^[4] Heirs of this gharana went on to establish other traditions like Punjab gharana, Lucknow gharana, Ajrada gharana, Farukhabad gharana and Benares gharana.

History

Origins

Delhi Gharana was founded by Sidhar Khan Dhadi in the early-18th century. Sometimes referred to as the inventor of the tabla,^[5] Sidhar Khan Dhadi is the earliest available name associated with tabla in historical records.^[6] He was initially a pakhawaj player from the tradition of Lala Bhavanidas.

Aesthetics

Technique

Considered a moderately resonant style (like Ajrada), the Delhi gharana is classified with the "bandh baaj" (closed style) rather than the "khula baaj" (open style) of Punjab gharana and Farukhabad gharana.^{[1] [7]}

Repertoire

Delhi gharana is reputed for its vast repertoire of qayadas - a structured improvisation consisting of a theme and variations.^{[3] [1]}

Musicality

Delhi gharana values sound quality that:^[8]

• Avoids overuse of the Bayan.
• Light, precise strokes (bols).
• Soft and esoteric temperament and style of playing.
• Strokes like "dha," "tita," "tirakita," and "tinakena" are prominent.

Legacy

Sidhar Khan Dhadi and his descendants contributed greatly to the development of the tabla language, compositional structures of the peshkars and qayadas.^[9] Many compositions from this school are standard and introductory repertoire taught to students of all tabla gharanas.

Exponents

A few notable masters of this school are Ustad Nathu Khan (1875–1940), Gamay Khan (1883–1958), Ustad Munnu Khan (the three brothers) and Ustad Gamay Khan's son Ustad Inam Ali Khan (1924–1986), his son Gulam Haider Khan, and Asif Ali Khan, Pandit Chatur Lal (1924–1966), Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan (1942-1989) and his sons Akbar Latif Khan and Babar Latif Khan, as well as Canadian tabla player and vocalist Cassius Khan (1974).

18th Century

• Sidhar Khan Dhadi, founder of gharana^[10]
• Chhote Khan, son and disciple of Siddhar Khan Dhadi
• Hussain Khan, son and disciple of Siddhar Khan Dhadi
• Bugara Khan, son and disciple of Chhote Khan
• Chand Khan, son and disciple of Chhote Khan^[3]
• Lale Masit Khan, son and disciple of Chhote Khan
• Chajju Khan, son and disciple of Hussain Khan.
• Miyan Bakshu Ji, nephew and disciple of Siddhar Khan Dhadi. Founder of Lucknow gharana
• Ghasit Khan, son and disciple of Siddhar Khan Dhadi^[10]
• Shitab Ali Khan, son and disciple of Bugara Khan
• Gulab Ali Khan, son and disciple of Bugara Khan
• Nanne Khan, son and disciple of Bugara Khan.
• Miru Khan, disciple of Sitaab Khan. Co-founder of Ajrada gharana
• Kallu Khan, disciple of Sitaab Khan. Co-founder of Ajrada gharana^[10]
• Muhammad Khan, son and disciple of Shitab Ali Khan
• Nazar Ali Khan, son and disciple of Shitab Ali Khan
• Roshan Khan^[3]
• Toollan Khan
• Bakshu Khan
• Makkoo Khan

19th Century

• Bade Kale Khan, son and disciple of Shitab Khan.
• Chhote Kale Khan, son and disciple of Muhammad Khan.
• Langde Hussain Baksh Khan, son and disciple of Lilli Masit Khan
• Boli Baksh Khan, son and disciple of Bade Kale Khan.
• Ghasit Khan, II, son and disciple of Langde Hussain Baksh Khan
• Nanhe Khan (1872-1940), son and disciple of Langde Hussain Baksh Khan. Also learned from brother, Ghasit Khan, II
• Natthu Khan (1875-1940), son and disciple of Boli Baksh Khan
• Gulab Khan
• Nasir Ali Khan
• Munnu Khan, son and disciple of Chhote Kale Khan
• Feroze Khan
• Munir Khan (1863-1937), disciple of Boli Baksh Khan. Also associated with Lucknow gharana and Farukhabad gharana^[10]
• Jehangir Khan (1869-1960s), disciple of Feroze Khan. Also learned from Abid Hussain Khan of Lucknow gharana

20th Century

• Natthu Khan (1875-1940)^[7]
• Gami Khan (1883-1958), son and disciple of Chhote Kale Khan
• Inam Ali Khan (1924-1986), son and disciple of Gameh Khan^{[7] [3]}
• Jugna Khan, disciple of Miyan Nanhe Khan
• Nikhil Ghosh (1918-1995)^[10]
• Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan (1942-1989), disciple of Gameh Khan, and Inam Ali Khan^[1]
• Chatur Lal (1924-1966), disciple of Haji Mohammad Khan and Hafiz Miyan
• Ghulam Haider Khan, son and disciple of Inam Ali Khan
• Fakir Mohammed "Peeru" Khan, disciple of Gami Khan
• Muhammad "Tufail" Khan Narowali, disciple of Gami Khan
• Narayanrao Indorkar, disciple of Gameh Khan and later Jehangir Khan
• Chhamma Khan, father and guru of Shafaat Ahmed Khan
• Asif Ali Khan, son and disciple of Abdul Hameed Khan. Also learned from Tufail Khan^[11]
• Faiyaz Khan (1934-2014), disciple of Inam Ali Khan
• Krishna Bisht (student of Chand khan)
• Subhash Nirwan (1953-2014)
• Shafaat Ahmed Khan (1954-2005), son and disciple of Chhamma Khan.

21st Century

• Cassius Khan (b. 1974), disciple of Rukhsar Ali.

Notes and References

1. News: Techniques of the tabla. dead. 23 February 2017. Lalithaa Krishnan. The Hindu newspaper. https://web.archive.org/web/20170223140523/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/Pt.-Abhijit-Banerjee-lec-dem-on-the-tabla-was-insightful/article17353337.ece. 16 November 2024.
2. Book: Gottlieb . Robert S. . Solo Tabla Drumming of North India: Inam Ali Khan, Keramatullah Khan, and Wajid Hussain . 1993 . Motilal Banarsidass Publishers via Google Books website . 9788120810938 . 49 .
3. Web site: Delhi gharana. IndianClassicalMusic.com website. 15 November 2024.
4. Book: R̥shitosha . Kumāra . Tabale kā udgama evaṃ Dillī gharānā: prācīna bandiśoṃ kā sañcayana . 2015 . Kanishka Pabliśarsa, Ḍisṭrībyūṭarsa . 9788184576450.
5. Book: Saṅgīt Mahābhāratī . The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India . 2011 . Oxford University Press . 9780195650983.
6. Book: The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India. 8 February 2011. Oxford University Press. 10.1093/acref/9780195650983.001.0001. 978-0-19-565098-3 .
7. Web site: Listen: Tabla performances by maestros of the Delhi gharana, where it all began. Aneesh. Pradhan. Scroll.in (India) website. 15 November 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240928171954/https://scroll.in/article/820197/listen-tabla-performances-by-maestros-of-the-delhi-gharana-where-it-all-began. dead. 28 September 2024.
8. Wegner, Gert-Matthias; Vintage Tabla Repertory, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, 2004.
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx0LO281JNs 'Tabla playing lessons described and made easy' of Delhi gharana on YouTube
10. Web site: Gharanas of Tabla. dead. 8 June 2023. 16 November 2024. Chaitanya Kunte. SwarGanga Music Foundation website. 24 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20230608143754/https://www.swarganga.org/articles/details.php?id=5.
11. Web site: Asif Ali: tabla player with a promise. 7 March 2010. Dawn newspaper. 15 November 2024. dead. 29 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129174944/https://www.dawn.com/news/860538/asif-ali-tabla-player-with-a-promise.